Blue and White official: Unity government talks at an end

A senior official in the Blue and White party says negotiations with Likud on forming a unity government have come to an end.

"The negotiations were entirely a pretence by Bibi (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu)," the official said. "The moment he realized we would not let him be prime minister first (in a potential rotation of the premiership), he was already on to the next elections. He is just trying to put the blame on us."

The official was speaking shortly after Likud leader Netanyahu and Bluie and White leader Benny Gantz arrived President Reuven Rivlins official residence in Jerusalem for further talks on the possibility of forming a unity government in the wake of last week's close election.